Teen Vogue’s incoming editor-in-chief, Alexi McCammond, has been forced to resign from her position after old racist and homophobic tweets resurfaced online.
After the tweets went viral, McCammond took to social media to issue a statement about her past social activity.
The tweets were reportedly from 2011. She was 17.
McCammond’s peers have largely spoken out in defense of her, while online, a fresh debate over “cancel culture” reignited.
“I became a journalist to help lift up the stories and voices of our most vulnerable communities. As a young woman of color, that’s part of the reason I was so excited to lead the Teen Vogue team in its next chapter,” McCammond said in a statement.
“I should not have tweeted what I did and I have taken full responsibility for that. I look at my work and growth in the years since, and have redoubled my commitment to growing in the years to come as both a person and as a professional. I wish the talented team at Teen Vogue the absolute best moving forward. Their work has never been more important, and I will be rooting for them.”
“There are so many stories left to be told, especially those about marginalized communities and the issues affecting them. I hope to have the opportunity to re-join the ranks of tireless journalists who are shining light on the issues that matter every single day,” she said.
Initially, Condé Nast, Teen Vogue’s publisher, stood by McCammond, but they changed their following pressure from the publication’s staff, readers and then when least two advertisers pulled out.
“After speaking with Alexi this morning, we agreed that it was best to part ways, so as to not overshadow the important work happening at Teen Vogue,” Chief People Officer Stan Duncan wrote in an internal memo, shared online.
While racism and homophobia cannot be condoned, the assumption that McCammond could have evolved and learned as an adult is not far-fetched.
Despite launching an impressive career as a journalist and having a slew of writers and collaborators cosigning McCammond’s character — it has still fallen on unforgiving ears. Which begs the question, how can an individual prove they have grown and genuinely changed their ways and actions if all it takes is a screenshot of a decade-old tweet to end it all?
How can a person compete with that?
